News Briefs - September 18

Merlin's much anticipated return to the race track, Ricky May's treble, and the North Island awards are all featured in this week's News Briefs.

Merlin back on Friday

Merlin, a key player in the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup and the country's highest earning horse this year, embarks on a fresh campaign at Alexandra Park on Friday. The winner of four races from six starts and $520,675 in stakes in 2024, the Art Major four-year-old hasn't started since his fourth in the Dawson Harford NZ Messenger Free For All at Alexandra Park on May 3,2024. His wins this year included the McMillan Equine Feeds Pacers Flying Mobile at Cambridge and the $1m Race by Grins a week later. He'll resume in the IRT Spring Cup this Friday as his connections plot a path to the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 12. He's currently a $6 second equal favourite for the big race along with Don't Stop Dreaming. Australian champion Leap To Fame leads the markets at $1.70.

To see the Spring Cup field click here 

Treble for R T May

Seven-time New Zealand Cup winning driver Ricky May turned back the clock with his treble of wins at Oamaru on Sunday. It was the first time since March 2021 at Westport that the veteran driver had saluted the judge three times in the one day. He won with Our Evie Rae, and Itz Flash Harry before taking out the Group 3 Jasmyn's Gift Fillies and Mares Stakes with Aroha Kenny. His best one day result was six wins at Addington in February 1991. All-time the Methven-based reinsman had had 3126 wins putting him third behind Tony Herlihy (3683) and Maurice McKendry (3398).

Group 1 winner to Hopes

Group 1 winner Our Shangri Lana is heading to the beach. The Art Major three-year-old has transferred from Steve Dolan to Greg and Nina Hope at Woodend. Our Shangri Lana is the winner of two from eight - her second victory being the 2023 Dunstan Horsefeeds Sires' Stakes Series 2YO Fillies Final at Addington. She didn't place in her four subsequent starts, with her last race at Addington in July.

Dexter's double in Indiana

Another week has brought another raft of big time successes for Dexter Dunn in North America. At Harrah's Hoosier Park in Indiana he's taken out the state's two richest races in the $390,000 Peter Haughton Memorial with Maryland and the $305,000 Jim Doherty Memorial with Champagne Problems and then headed to Ontario where he won the $205,000 Milton Stakes with Twin B Joe Fresh, who he also co-owns. In 2024 Dunn has won 220 races with $9.27m in stakes earnings. A four-time Driver of the year in North America, he is currently third in 2024 behind Yannick Gingras ($10.2m) and Jason Bartlett ($9.2m).

Orange goes 18 clear

A double at Oamaru on Sunday and a treble at Addington on Friday have helped Blair Orange extend his lead at the top of the drivers' premiership. He had a hat-trick for Mark and Nathan Purdon with Mr Kaplan, Vessem and The Con Artist on Friday and then won with Republican Party and Rubira at Oamaru. He now has 129 wins for the year as he chases a seventh drivers' premiership, with John Dunn next on 111. In the trainers' premiership the Dunns (Robert and Jenna) are well ahead on 115, with Steve and Amanda Telfer next on 94.

Then there were 10

The NZ Horse Ambulance Fleet has hit double figures. A 10th ambulance and tow vehicle has been added ensuring every race meeting around the country now has a horse ambulance in attendance. The New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust was established in 2016. The big advantage of the ambulance is its hydraulic system that lowers the ambulance to the ground. It means if a horse is injured and cannot walk up a ramp it can enter, and exit without turning, at ground level, which minimises the risk of further injury. Each unit, which includes a towing vehicle, cost around $170,000.

On Track to officially launch

Racing's OnTrack initiative will be officially launched at Cambridge Raceway next Monday to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week. OnTrack is a collaboration between harness, thoroughbred and greyhound racing, implemented by Racing NZ, to create an effective and research-driven mental health and suicide prevention programme right across the country. Monday's launch will be held between 10.30am and noon.

For more information click here

NI awards on next week

The North Island Harness Awards will be held in the Skyline Lounge at Cambridge Raceway on Saturday, September 28. Tickets are $25 PP with a drink on arrival and dinner included. Doors open at 5.30pm, with the awards ceremony getting underway at 6 pm.

To find out more click here

Club News : Ashburton

Thanks to the generosity of Woodlands Stud NZ, the Ashburton Trotting Club has a Lather Up and What The Hill Stallion Service for tender. The advertised service fee for Lather Up this season is $4,500 plus GST and What The Hill is $5,000 plus GST.

The club welcomes tenders for the stallion service which can be sent to [email protected] (Subject – Stallion Tender).
Inquiries can be made to Jeff McLaughlin at the above email or the Ashburton Trotting Club Office 03 308 6794. Tenders close at 5pm on Monday 30th of September.